Gib-flag ships rescue hundreds of migrants

Two Gibraltar-registered ships were involved in the dramatic rescue of over 300 migrants off the coast of Italy this week.

In two separate incidents 343 migrants were pulled to safety when their attempts to cross from North Africa to Europe became futile.

In the first incident the ‘Constance’, commanded by Captain Skobel, responded to an emergency request from the Greek maritime authorities to rescue persons from a vessel in distress.

Captain Skobel and his crew saved 235 refugees from a sinking boat and embarked them onto the Gibraltar ship.

The second incident saw the ‘Aquarius’ rescue 108 migrants from a half deflated dinghy that was quickly taking on water in high seas near the island of Lampedusa.

One of the survivors told the Aquarius crew there had been at least 135 people on board when the overcrowded vessel left the Libyan port of Sabratha.

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